Automatic switch operator



A. STIRNWEIS, JR

AUTOMATIC SWITCH OPERATOR Filed Sept. 29. 1928 Fatented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES ANDREW STIRNWEIS, J 3., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK AUTOMATIC SWITCH OPERATOR Application filed. September 29, 1928. Serial No. 303,341.

This invention relates to automatic switching devices, and in particular to a type adapted for use in connection with toy railway outfits.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a device which may be placed at a suitable point in the track, for throwing a switch over which a train of cars has passed, so that on the next turn around on the circular track, which is usually employed in such to-y railways, the train will operate over another section of track, it being the object to also place one of these switching devices in the second section of track so that the same switch will again be thrown so that the train on the next turn around will travel over the first traveled section of track.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a simplified switch which may be detachably secured to a point in the track and which is so arranged that it will operate quickly and satisfactorily to properly throw the switch which it is intended to operate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a switch mechanism which may be secured to tracks alr ady in existence and which will cooperate with a switching mechanism to operate automatically and thus do away with the necessity of manipulation of the switches by hand.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully comprehend the underlying features of my invention, that they may embody the same in the various modifications in structure and relation contemplated, a drawing depicting a preferred form has been annexed as a part of this disclosure and in such drawing similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout'all the views, of which,

fliigure 1 is a plan view of one track arrangement used in toy railway outfits and employing an inner and outer curve to vary the monotony of the train travel. The use of my improved switch contact is illustrated in 5 connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my improved switch contact, or operating device, as it would appear when not in connection with the track. and,

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the switch contact operating member as illustrated in Figure 2, the same being shown in its relation to the third or middle rail and one of the outer rails of the track.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates in a toy railway an inner curved portion of track while 6 indicates the connecting curve of the main line 7. The inner curve is joined to the main track 7 by the well known switch construction 8 and 9. This switch construction used in toy railways consists of a base 10 and a switch throwing mechanism 11, the latter of which need not be described herein inasmuch as it is clearly illustrated in Patents Nos 1,671,236 and 1,5a8,940, it being sulficient to say that the wires 12 and 13 connect the switch throwing mechanism 11 with the contact point 14 of a hand switch 15. The mechanism thus far described is well known in the art, and heretofore it has been necessary in throwing the switches to operate the hand switch 15 each time the train passes the switch so that its course will be varied the next time it approaches the switch. It is a particular object of my invention, as mentioned herein before, to adapt this switch mechanism for automatic operation and in carrying out this feature I connect the switch points 14 and 16 through the medium of the wires 17 and 18 respectively with a suitable knife switch 19 which is arranged to complete the circuit between wire 17 and wire 20 and between wire 18 and wire 21. 'VVire 21 leads to one of my switch throwing devices 22 in the inner curve 5 of the track, while the other one leads to a similar switch throwing device in the outer curve 6 thereof. In view of the fact that both of these switches are identical in construction, and in fact any number of them V may be used in connection with a set of tracks to operate a plurality of switches, it is be lieved that the description of one will sulfice.

The switch operating device 22 consists of a baseboard or base 23, made of insulating r material and arranged to support at one side thereof a lever plate 24- whose corners 25 are turned down and arranged to pierce the base 23, so that the plate will be securely held tl on. The base 23 is also pierced by an eye. 3

' and switches, the same as 26, which maintains a catch lever 27 in relation with lever plate 24. This catch lever being provided with an up standing handle portion 28 and a jamming end 29, which as iiidicated in Figure 3 is arranged to engage the lower portion of one of the rails 30 of a track. At the opposite side of the base 23 there is secured through the medium of turned down prongs 31 the rail plate 32. This rail plate having up turned portions 33, which as indicated in Figure 3 are arranged to fit about the base of the third rail 34:. The opposite side or" the plate providing an up standing portion 35 to which is secured as by the bolts 36 the contact arm 37. This arm is arranged to be engaged by a suitable shoe on the locomotive during passage of the same over the switch throwing member 22. For this purpose the extended arm 37 being provided, so that circuits may be maintained sufiiciently long enough to completely throw the switch intended to be operated. Adjacent to rail plate 32 there is provided a spring contact which is properly secured to the base 23 and to which is secured'on'e end of a wire indicated in Figure 3 as wire 20. The contact arm 3? beyond its pivot point 36 is bent to provide a receptacle 39 into which is dropped a counter weight 40. This counter weight 40 takes the place of a spring that would ordinarily hold the contact arm in raised position, the spring being objectionable due to the wear thereon. Beyond the receptacle portion the arm 37 s bent to provide a contact finger ll, which is arranged to over lie the spring contact 38. It is quite evident that passage of the train over the switch operating member 22 will cause the contact arm to be depressed, thus bringing the contact finger 41 into connection with the spring 38 to complete a circuit between the third rail and in this instance between the wire 20. In tracing this circuit we find that if the knife switch 19 is closed a current will flow through wire 17 and to the negative side of the switch operating mechanism 11 to cause the same to operate, the source of power being through the wire 42 which is connected to the third rail 3-l from an outside source of current. The operation of any one of the switches 8 or 9 may he therefore carried out by eitherone oi the switch operating mechanisms hrough the wires 20 or 21. WVhen the knife switch open as shown in Figure 1, the hand switch may be used and in this connection the center post of the handle 15 is connected tothe third rail through the medium of the wire 43, so that circuit is made betweeneither the coin tact 14 or 16 to throw the switch 8 ineither direction.

The switch 9 illustrated in Figure 1 would of course be operated by another setof wiring that already illustrated and described. The said description illustrating that in Figure 1 if a train passes over the track 7 and operates over curve 6, it will close the circuit through the wires 20, 17 12, which is grounded on the outer rail, with the result that the switch will be thrown open and the next time the train comes over the track 7 it will swing into inner curve 5, and upon engaging the switch operating member 22 therein will again throw switch 8 to its closed position so that the train the next time around will operate over curve 6.

It is evident therefore that I have provided a switch operating member for use in connection with toy railways which is automatic in its operation, and which may be applied to toy railways in existence without the necessity of changing any of the parts thereof.

It is also evident that in the construction of the type referred to the parts may be made up at small cost, and the whole device may be placed at any point in the track suflicient clearance, of course, being allowed for the passage of the complete train over the switch before throwing the same.

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some deg'reeof particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction, or otherwise altering the arrangement of the co-related parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A circuit completing device for useon a toy railway comprising a base, a third rail engaging plate, an arm pivoted thereon. a finger on the *arm, a contact spring on the base engageable by the finger for completing a circuit betweenthe third rail and said contact spring, and a jainn'iing lever on the base for engaging one of the track rails for holding the base member in position onthe track.

2. A circuit completing device for use on atoy railway comprising abase, a third rail engaging ola'te, an arm pivoted thereon, a finger on the arm, a counterweight carried by the arm, a contact spring 'on the base eng'ageable by the finger for completing a circuit between the third rail and said contact spring, and a jamming lever on the base "for engaging one of the track rails for holding the base member in position on the track.

testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ANDREEV STHRNV ETS, JR. [1 s] 

